FINALLY A Plan That Makes Sense

No, not from John Kerry - Finally a plan to do something to fix the Illinois Tollways and make them user friendly! You think Moses was good parting the sea? Try getting 8 or 10 toll lanes back into 2 highway lanes - that would be a miracle!

Register Star:When Bob Stephenson heads from Rockford to Chicago and back for his job each day, the state logs his exact whereabouts eight times -- four tolls on the way to Chicago, four on the way back.

Like thousands who routinely drive through northeastern Illinois, Stephenson uses an I-PASS transponder to pay tolls. As Stephenson passes through each plaza, tolls are automatically charged to his account. He doesn't have to throw change in the basket.

Stephenson's commute would be even smoother under Gov. Rod Blagojevich's $5.3 billion plan to improve the state's tollway system: I-PASS users like Stephenson would pass through arched checkpoints rather than chugging through congested toll plazas. Those paying cash would be routed to the side of the highway to pay the fare, twice as much as today's rates, at a booth.

The idea is to get more motorists using I-PASS. And the same time that Stephenson is enjoying the convenience of I-PASS.

DKK